Langebaan

Langebaan is situated in the Langebaan Lagoon which is part of the Saldhana Bay.

It is a really peaceful, nice little village and is well known for its sports activities like kitesurfing, windsurfing, fishing and sailing. The Westcoast National Park is close by. The village offers nice restaurants, some right at the beach. There are many things to do in and around Langebaan.

Langebaan is one of the oldest settlements in South Africa. Its modern history can be traced back four hundred years. In turn its paläontological and archaeological history go back many millions of years. On Elandsfontein, a farm located east of Langebaan, a human skeleton from the Stone Age has been found.

Before the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck, French sailors regularly visited the land near Langebaan in the early 17^th century regularly. They had their headquarters across Langebaan, on Schaapeneiland, a small island close to Langebaan beach.

The town Langebaan has its origin on the De Hoek Stompe farm, which was formerly known as Geitenmelkfonteine. Nowadays days you will find on the grounds of the old farm-stead the offices of the National Park. Legend has it that the name Langebaan refers to the old Langebaan road that led through the sand dunes to the area around Leentjiesklip.

Historically, the hunting of whales seemed to be especially very promising. Therefore many whaling stations could be found around Langebaan. Today they are all abandoned, but you can still find some traces. In fact, in recognition of its whaling past, the Town Council has set up an old harpoon in front of Langebaan’s administration offices.

In the past 20 years, Langebaan transformed from a small quiet village to a large holiday destination. Visitors are attracted by the beautiful lagoon and the West Coast National Park. The opportunities for water sports are excellent. The azure blue waters are warmer than usual on the Atlantic coast. Sailing, windsurfing and fishing are some of the most popular attractions. For several years now, Langebaan has developed into a kitesurfing center. Many kitesurfing schools have settled here.

In the town center of Langebaan you find Bree Street. Along this road there are many small shops and several pubs and restaurants. For those who want to find some entertainment in the evening, they may vist the casino at Club Mykonos.